… an angel – a celestial being that we perceive as being a protective agent of and from God – struck a man. Struck a man for holding back on giving God the glory He was and is due, and that punishment led to death from being eaten by the lowliest creatures of this world – worms. Struck down, eaten by worms, and dying. All because God is God, and a man chose to not glorify HIM.

“Immediately” has huge implications in life, simply because the word means without delay, without reservation, and without a second chance. Throughout each and every day God works in miraculous ways to provide and protect His children – and most of those ways remain a mystery to us. We are simply oblivious to God’s hand in each and every moment of our life, until we find ourselves in a place where we don’t have the answer or the control mechanisms to change what life may be dishing out to us, so we look up and cry to our Heavenly Father to help us get out of the problem as soon as – and as unscathed as – possible. And when He mercifully enables the challenge to be overcome, we cry, “Glory!”… and move on.

To God be the glory, great things HE has done! Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say… REJOICE!! (Phil. 4:4)

Our days are short in number, and potentially in consequence. We need to consciously choose our attitude wisely. When we choose to give anything else but God Almighty the glory and the praise due unto Him alone, be assured that He WILL get the glory… regardless.

Being eaten by worms until the point of death doesn’t create a pretty visual in my mind. Nor does an unthankful attitude in God’s. Don’t let an Acts 12:23 statement be the epitaph of your life.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.